The Heart Exchange
by Vampire Crayons
Summary: after being jess's penpal for two years the stanleys become bella's host family as she enrolls in forks high for her junior year. enigmatic senior edward falls for the new girl much to the apparent displeasure of the rest of the female population. all hum


Chapter One: Air Mattress

**Chapter One: Air Mattress**

Ms. Stanley and Jessica were definitely townies, if not by the location of their house but by the way they gossip about all the neighbors' goings-on. Only in a small town would many of their topics of conversation be considered scandalous. Forks, Washington- overcast and over grown as the letters promised- fit the bill. The bone chilling rain pelting down on me, the new inhabitant of this dreary town, I begin to wonder why I came here and why I wasn't already hightailing it back to my sunny hometown in Phoenix, Arizona.

Truth being told I began a pen-pal relationship through our schools' P.O boxes with Jessica Stanley. I would never have imagined Jess being as perky as she appeared from the words in her letters. Then again, those papers did lack that certain tone of voice. Yet here I was after just arriving 'home' with my host family, suddenly unprepared to stay an entire year in this microscopic town- dubbed with a hilarious name- and sharing room with Miss Pep in-the-flesh.

The picture Jess had sent me with one of the last few letters she responded too was still in my pocket after searching for her in the airport this morning. I was not surprised to find an air mattress set up in her incredibly pink colored room and my own photo taped to the wall above it. In fact, I would be upset if she lost my photo so soon. It was probably my best school picture yet. This year's would not compare knowing that the moisture in the air would make my hair uncontrollably frizzy.

In a few days I would attend Fork's high school, my first day as a Junior, one post down from the first rung. And being seventeen I figure it's high time I got myself a job, hence the time I have for my musings as I'm wandering about these unfamiliar streets.

Lunch at the Stanley's consisted of protein shakes and a bowl of cheerios. Heaven knows those women need healthier eating habits and I would be sure to pick up the slack in that area.

A year before, a month into the pen-pal program I received a chicken scratch letter containing Jessica's angry words about her parents' sudden divorce- her anger directed more so towards her M.I.A father. Mrs. Stanley's bank job at first raked in a good amount of money, but after the mister left it was not enough. I would not impose on my host mother.

_Charlie's Pizzeria_ in neon lettering caught my eye as I turned the corner. It was a quaint place showing it's Italian influence in the decorations. A white poster stuck to the window advertised for help. The kind of help was not specified and I had a suspicion that was key to drawing in a new employee: writing 'hiring busboys' doesn't exactly entice the lazy teens of today.

A baby faced boy with gelled blonde spikes for hair glanced up to me at the sound of my entrance, alerted by the bell that jingled as the door opened. He took a long look, grabbed a menu off the podium and scooted through the near empty restaurant tables. It was still early so no one but the usual regulars would be here.

"Welcome to _Charlies_, I'm Mike," he said with a wide grin and a wink. His blue eyes sparkled with anticipation that I might tell him my name.

Instead, I said, "I'm wondering about the job offer on the front door-."

"Hold on a moment," he interrupted, as excited as a dog getting a new bone. At full sprint he ran to the kitchen doors and pushed one halfway open. "Charlie! Someone's interested in working here!" He shouted.

Out of the kitchen burst a plump man in a white apron. His face was cheery and large with dark brown eyes, not unlike my own. He offered me a friendly smile before gesturing me over. I obliged happily to the kind man.

"What exactly is the job position you are offering?" I inquired.

"We need a waiter, or a waitress. The pay is five dollars an hour and you can keep your tips." Big Charlie answered.

"Sounds great, when do I start?"

The two of them each release a relieved sigh. With so little a population in Forks it must be a miracle that there was actually a legal aged worker left to hire.

"Tomorrow at six, the beginning of the dinner shift. Mike will be on tomorrow night, too, so he'll show you the ropes. The uniform is a white shirt with black slacks. Is that alright with you…"

"Isabella, but please, call me Bella."

"Bella," Mike said, a blush visibly rising above the neck of this starch white collar.

Charlie rolled his eyes and jabbed Mike in the stomach with his fat elbow. "Finish wiping off those tables, boy. And we'll see you tomorrow, Bella."

We exchanged grins once again before I departed with a wave to my boss and pulling my raincoat closer around me.

&

Jessica and I sat on the cream plush sofa while her mother flipped through TV channels as she lounged lazily in the recliner, microwave dinner on her lap. I too had a dinner tray on my own, the potatoes and reheated meat sat in their disgusting plastic sectors untouched.

"Ms. Stanley?" I began.

She cut me off. "Please, that name makes me feel so old!" Jess looked up to the ceiling before spearing another bit of the soggy steak. "It's Jennifer, darling."

"Jennifer," the name rolled around awkwardly on my tongue. "I went into town today to get a job. I'm starting at _Charlie's Pizzeria_ tomorrow night."

Jess coughed loudly beside me and stared pointedly at her mother. Her mother just squealed, "Oh, Jessica! Isn't that were that boy you like works? Mike Newton his name is, right? He is such a cutie." I started to get the impression that Ms. Stanley was one of those women that never admit their age or the fact that they're way past their sixteenth birthday.

"M-o-m!" Jess whined. Then she turned to me, the apples of her cheeks burning bright. "Did you see him there? What did he say? Did you tell him you're staying with us? Did he ask about me?"

"Actually," I tried to avoid the subject of his failure of a flirt during our meal. "He didn't say much at all," which was true, and thank the good lord because I am a horrible liar. "He was very polite though," I covered up that last sentence with a good yawn at the end. "Well, I'm tired. I think I'll go to bed. Thank you again for having me."

"No problem, Bella. A friend of Jessica's is always welcome here. We could use the company too." Jennifer Stanley told me. Jess bade me goodnight and took my tray- not even taken a bite from- to the trash with her own. Soon enough she was joining me for bed. We turned away from the other to dress in our pajamas.

As I pulled my lavender nightgown over my head I heard Jessica whisper, "Did you know that Charlie's wife just died two months ago? Her name was Renee. I heard she died of leukemia."

"That's horrible," I gasped, grabbing my toothbrush. I walked over to the bathroom adjoining our room. "He must be having a tough time."

"Yeah, he didn't have any kids either so he's all alone now. I believe he sleep above the restaurant now. He did sell his house not too long ago. He's an upbeat fellow though, wouldn't let him put it down." I saw evidence of that today. "He told me once that he couldn't let something like that put him out of business. His wife wouldn't want it to be that way."

"Did Renee used to work at the pizzeria?"

"Yep, sure did. That's why he's been advertising for help. No one would take the job. A lot of us think he's unstable." I doubt that, poor man. Rumors can be vicious even to the kindest souls. "But no one can beat his cooking. That's why there's always a dinner rush on the weekends. Lauren and I go there every Saturday. You remember me telling you about her, right?"

I nodded. My mouth was full of toothpaste foam and I didn't want to drool everywhere if I replied. In my opinion, formed from the descriptions Jessica gave me, I wouldn't think Lauren Mallory the sort of girl that would make a good friend for my new host sister. I wished she wasn't.

"Lauren is so cool. She's practically the queen of the school. Even I look up to her. Her dad is rich too. Plus she's going out with one of the hottest guys in school. They've lasted throughout the summer though she told me they had a few spats.

"His name's Emmett McCarthy, and boy is he buff! He's friends with Jasper Hale- so cute! But he's going out with Alice Brandon, and they've been steady for two years already! I think he'll propose. Alice does too from what I hear, but Jaspers got cold feet.

"Anyways, they've always been fighting about this one girl, Rosalie Hale, Jasper's sister." I was starting to lose interest now but figured it would be polite if I listened. "Lauren gets so jealous of Rosalie, and between you and me Rosie's totally the prettier blonde. She thinks Emmett keeps flirting with her."

"Do you think he's flirting with her?" I put in to keep Jessica satiated.

"I could hardly careless, unless they broke up then Emmett would be available. Such good friends, those two. "And then there's Mike, I've had a crush on him since the fifth grade! If only he would notice me…" she sighed. "But lately I've had my eyes set on someone else."

She peered anxiously at me. "Who?" I asked, trying to but enthusiasm into my voice.

"The cutest guy in school!" She squealed. "His name is Edward Cullen and he's the new doctor's son. He's rich and smart and so very handsome. And his mother, Esme must have taught him the best manners because he's nothing but kind. I secretly think he likes me. He doesn't talk much though, not a socialite like me. He plays the piano wonderfully though, and you always find him reading between the halls. It's amazing he hasn't seen how the girls look at him. Fortunate for me though. If can capture his attention he's all mine."

Something about this boy piqued my interest. Perhaps it was the qualities she shared with me that he had that had the very likeness of some of my own. "What does he look like?"

She blushed and twirled around, braiding her hair into two plaits. "Edward has shaggy bronze hair and fair skin, but these green eyes that just stick out from them. And his face is so perfect you'd think it's an angel's!"

I wondered about Edward Cullen as Jessica finally shut up and allowed me to sleep; I could just picture the brooding angel at his piano. He was like the George Clooney of all guys, except younger. Smart, handsome and polite. And here I thought meeting the high standards meant tall-dark-and-handsome. How wrong those teen vogue magazines had been.

Allegedly he wasn't very social, however _Charlie's _was the best pizza shop in town. Perhaps I'd see this boy for myself tomorrow at the dinner rush.

**AN: For once I have the story line written out this time. Updates will come as soon as possible, but don't worry, not writer's block on this one! Please enjoy this story whilst I figure out how to save the day on my other stories. **


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